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Etienne Catalan: Nic Claxton will wear No. 9 for the #Bulls. Number last worn by Nikola Vučević in 2026. #NBA
Brett Siegel: Trade details: Hornets: Naz Reid, Mouhamadou Gueye, MIN 2033 1st (unprotected), MIN 2028, 2029, 2030 1st SWAPS, MIN 2029, 2032, 2033 2nds Nets: Julius Randle, Joshua Jefferson (Pick No. 28) Timberwolves: LaMelo Ball, Josh Green, Isaiah Evans (Pick No. 33) Bulls: Nic Claxton
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K.C. Johnson: Bulls project having roughly $31M and the $9.4M room exception as free agency begins. With Leonard Miller set to return and Nic Claxton set to arrive, Bulls are at 12 contracts and two of their three 2-way contracts
This trade, which can’t be official until July 6 since the Bulls required cap space to acquire Nic Claxton, will be expanded to include the Wolves’ acquisition of Ball for several reasons. The first is that Reid’s $23.3 million salary isn’t enough to match Ball’s $41.25 million individually. Randle’s $33.3 million salary is ($9,098,000 trade exception). Then they could simply trade Reid for Green and create a trade exception worth the difference in their salaries. However, the Wolves can no longer function as a below-apron team. Ball’s $41.25 million salary is too high for them to field a roster below the first apron while factoring in Ayo Dosunmu’s new five-year, $112 million contract. It is expected to start at $19.3 million, the lowest it could be with standard raises. They now must operate as an above-apron team so they can fill the rest of the roster, meaning they must do a 100 percent salary match.
The once supersized Wolves are now looking very thin in the frontline. They will have a difficult time finding an upgrade with no draft picks left to trade. They might need to part with one of Terrence Shannon Jr. or Joan Beringer to get a team interested. Otherwise, they’re looking at starting a lineup featuring LaMelo Ball, Ayo Dosunmu, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert. The Wolves would have limited options for upgrading the frontcourt. They will no longer create a $33 million trade exception and lose access to all trade exceptions created last season, including the $10.8 million one. They also lose the $5.5 million bi-annual exception and get the reduced $6 million taxpayer mid-level exception instead of the $15.5 million one. They are highly unlikely to get a starter with that amount.
Michael Scotto: Sources: The Brooklyn Nets will select Isaiah Evans with the No. 33 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Evans is headed to the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of a 3-team trade, which also landed Julius Randle in Brooklyn and sent Nic Claxton to the Bulls.
Michael Scotto: Sources: The Brooklyn Nets will select Joshua Jefferson with the No. 28 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Brooklyn acquired this pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of a 3-team deal, which also landed Julius Randle in Brooklyn and sent Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls.
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In addition to moving up five spots into the late first round of the draft, another factor in the decision to trade Nic Claxton was the opportunity to free up more playing time for center Day’Ron Sharpe, sources told HoopsHype. Sharpe, the longest-tenured Net going into his sixth season at just 24 years old, impressed Nets brass last season and was lauded by coach Jordi Fernandez for his rebounding prowess. Sharpe is currently penciled in as Brooklyn’s starting center.
Yossi Gozlan: The Bulls will use $23.1 million of their cap space to acquire Nic Claxton. They go from from $54 million in cap space to $30.9 million in room remaining. They would still have the $9.4 million room mid-level to use after. Great business getting him essentially for free.
K.C. Johnson: This pending trade is essentially a “free agent signing” of starting caliber center who has averaged 69 starts over last 4 seasons. Claxton, 27, is career 62.2% shooter and solid lob threat who also averaged 3.7 assists last season. Typically makes good decisions as roll man.
